1. Field of the Invention
The invention refers to a memory with a temperature sensor, a dynamic memory with a temperature sensor with a controlling circuit for refreshing the charge of memory cells of the dynamic memory, a memory with a temperature sensor with a clock unit that delivers a clock signal for controlling reading or writing data from or in the memory cells and a method of sensing a temperature of a memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
An integrated dynamic memory is known that contains a control circuit for controlling a refresh mode in which the charges of the memory cells are refreshed. A controllable frequency generator serves for setting a refresh frequency. A temperature sensor circuit detects a temperature of the memory and outputs a first reference value, and an externally writable circuit is provided for outputting a second reference value. The temperature sensor circuit and the externally writable circuit are alternatively connectable to the control input of the frequency generator for setting the refresh frequency. If the externally writable circuit has been written, the second reference value, which corresponds to a temperature, is fed to the frequency generator; otherwise, the first reference value is supplied. In this manner, users of the memory that are unable to measure temperature can expediently optimize the power consumption that is necessary for stand-by mode and reduce it at low temperatures.
There are different types of temperature sensors. In one example a simple temperature sensor detects whether the temperature is higher or lower as a reference temperature. A further type of temperature sensor senses a temperature difference compared to a reference value. Depending on the type of temperature sensor different codes representing the information of the temperature sensor are used.